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Eating Healthier While Working The Graveyard Shift |
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Hi, all! I'm glad to've found this thread. :) Several years ago I worked as a care aide (aka nurse's aide) in a nursing home, & my favourite shift there were nights. I worked with other staff, most of whom who only worked nights, & I was casual. So this meant changing my schedule. However, I never had a problem then switching back & forth, being in my 20s & early 30s. Now, though, I'm 42, & since last August, I've been working straight nights (I can't call it graveyard shift :) ) in a gas station with a convenience store. So almost a year. When I worked in the nursing home, having a good diet while working nights wasn't a problem, partly because I had to provide my own meals & partly because my co-workers all brought their own meals, & they were healthy. It was good that we all ate well, & I know that that was the biggest part of eating properly when I worked nights. On the other shifts, I could buy meals there, & they were healthy, too. Now, though, it's far too easy to not bring my own food & to pig out on junk food, which, as you can imagine, is abundant in my current work setting. I have started to bring my own food from home, though, although sometimes I still give in to temptation far too easily, even when I bring my own food. Also, there are some nights when I don't eat at all & just drink water & milk & Coke or juice. Sometimes i just have no appetite at work, but then I get home & am famished. I need to be consistent & to keep up a proper eating schedule at work every shift. My hours are from 10 PM to 6 AM, & part of my problem, too, is that I work 4-on-1-off-1-on-1-off, & then it starts all over. It's the only way for me to get 5 shifts right now. Anyway, I have no problem keeping the same schedule on my days off - what my issues are, are eating well at work & making sure I get plenty of exercise. I have started going for walks around the store most night, but that gets boring since it's not a huge store. Still, it's moving, & on slow nights, it helps to keep me active. There's window service from 10:55 to 6 AM because there's only one person working at that time. I'm going to start, on Tuesday, to go for a walk after work & to start that regularly. It'll help me sleep better, too. I've been reading through the rest of the comments here & have gotten some great ideas, & so I thank you all so very much. :)
Edited by: MICHELLENRGZED at: 7/15/2012 (10:38)
Blessings,
Michelle :)
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I work in a group home for youth also. My hours are 9pm to 9am, 7 days on, 7 days off. Talk about my body be out of sync! Now, I am no expert, but, this is what I have been trying this week and it is working for me. I track my calories from midnight to midnight. When I wake up, I eat my "breakfast" with my family. Then, while ate work, I am drinking two slim fast shakes and bringing in oranges, bananas, nuts, boiled eggs, or even the slim fast bars. What I found is that I was eating out of boredom at night. Now when I have that urge, which I don't (maybe the slim fast shakes?), I will walk across the floor for ten minutes. I have been doing this about 4 times a night in my 12 hours. Seems to be working, my wedding ring is much looser than usual.
| current weight: 204.0 |
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TAMBORINEE
SparkPoints: (1,674)
Fitness Minutes: (2,437)
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7/15/12 5:30 A
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You could always save one piece to try it, then the rest donate to the neighbor kids or a large family with kids (something like that). And if what is made is freezable, freeze some for later.
*******MilKat*******
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At HEATHER5987- Well, first of all, thank you for what you do! It's people like you that do what they can to save lives, and do if well!! I imagine it's really hard to find the time to eat. :-/ Your protein shakes are great, at least you are getting SOMETHING into your body. Maybe you need to have a piece of fruit with it, like a banana or an apple. Nuts, or a hard boiled egg would be a great option for when that hunger pang starts coming on after you've had your shake. I've worked 3rd for 10 years now, but I sit behind a desk. :) Not the same as the adrenaline rush you deal with everyday!! We are up when our bodies aren't supposed to be, so naturally we will get hungry. Take lots of healthy munchie things to get you thru your shift. Hope this helps!! :) Good luck! Amy
Edited by: AWOOD1973 at: 7/15/2012 (04:38)
Live, Laugh, Love.
Be patient. If you can find or create things to be happy about today, you'll be much more likely to take care of yourself tomorrow. ~Bob Greene~
Caring about yourself and doing good things for yourself is not only your right, it's your responsibility. ~Bob Greene~
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I worked night shift for years, either 7pm to 7am or 11pm to 7am, and the best thing you can do is have a lot of healthy, low calorie "munchies". I used to have bags of fresh cut veggies. I would have a high protein, low carb meal, but munch on the veggies through out the shift. Put everything into your tracker before hand, and then you can make adjustments, if needed, later. If you have "good" food with you, it is easier to block out the "junk".
It all adds up; never discount your efforts, because small efforts build big things. One word doesn't make a novel, but one word does begin a novel, and from that small beginning everything else follows. Even if it's just "The", write something on that blank page. --Laurell K. Hamilton
| current weight: 175.2 |
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I work 6 pm to 5 am at a full service,, breakfast all day, junkfood everywhere.diner.... I am having some difficulty with all of the food in my face all of the time.... I also have some very loving customers who bring me sweeties and cookies every week... This is where my excess pounds have come from... I need a way to deflect these obstacles, as I cannot quit, for I make very excellent wages, and an excellent work schedule.... HELP!?! I need some helpful hints for resisting these things...I am too polite to refuse the gifts.. but, then...I end up bingeing on them.
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I really like the idea of a cooler. Maybe I also need to purchase a thermos because I don't have a place to keep or heat up food. Right now I am just using a bag on wheels that I throw everything into but it really limits my choices. I am actually posting from work right now and I am starving. I obviously did not plan tonight well! 
"I have been on a constant diet for the last two decades. I've lost a total of 789 pounds." ~ Erma Bombeck
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TAMBORINEE
SparkPoints: (1,674)
Fitness Minutes: (2,437)
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7/13/12 11:41 P
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I use the meal planner with SP and print off the grocery list. I shop for what I need for at least 3 to 4 days. I don't pack in little containers. On the days that I'm working, I have a box (cooler) that I just throw whole containers in (yogurt, cottage cheese, lunch meats, can foods, fruits, peanut butter, bagels, and so on, take it to work, then unload in work fridge. I work by myself so there's no worry of someone else eating my food. I reload everyday when I leave, then unload at home. Loading/reloading process takes about 1 1/2 mins. I, too, work 12-14hr shifts and drive an hour one way. If you add in shopping and stopping for gas, then it can easily make my day 16-18 hrs. Then there's stuff to unload, critters to feed etc. I average about 4-5 hrs of sleep when I'm working. All in all, I'm eating more (esp. proteins - I was lacking), I'm walking in the building for 15 mins on my breaks and do exercises while I'm waiting for something. I've lost 19 pounds this way. I admit I don't always have time to track online, but I do what works.
*******MilKat*******
| current weight: 188.0 |
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12 hour days every day for 8 weeks. what i did: get up in the morning and while eating breakfast i entered in what i wanted to eat for the day, up to 1500 calories. i put it in a cooler and went. when i got hungry i looked in my bag and i ate something. i may not have finished my all of my snack at snack at 10 am or finished my lunch or even got to eat it near lunch time. but i did eat it all by night time. i also tracked under one heading instead of trying to divy it up between breakfast, lunch and dinner. it also put a new perspective on things to see ALL of your food laid out before you. i packed leftover pizza one day and my bag was half empty. and i was hungry in the evening. didnt do that again.
today i will act like i wish i felt
do not worry about the people from your past, there is a reason they did not make it to your future.
“Fairy tales, are more than true. Not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be defeated.” — G.K. Chesterton
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I work the third shift and I use to not eat. At 5am I would "hit the wall". Someone told me that my blood sugars are low and I needed to eat something. I now eat at work. I bring what is on my breakfast menu and no more "hitting the wall". I eat my lunch after I sleep and supper just before work. This seems to work for me. I keep the same schedule when I have the NOC off.
Be anxious for nothing, but in prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be known to God Philippian 4:6
The only limits to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. Franklin D. Roosevelt
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I can't tell you all how happy I am to find this topic! I work 12-hour night shifts (8 - 8) doing palliative care in the community. Because I work in people's homes I never know what to expect. I do not get scheduled breaks but if it is quiet I can take time to eat. Eating healthy foods and getting in exercise is very difficult for me so I am trying to plan ahead. This week on my days off I made a huge batch of Vegetarian Minestrone soup. I also made a batch of Hummus. Before work I cut up some vegetables to go with the hummus but I think next week I will cut them all up on my days off and put them into bags because I am finding I am tired when I wake up. At this point I don't know what else I can do so I am grateful for all your suggestions. And blessings to all of you that stay awake and look after people while the rest of the world sleeps.
"I have been on a constant diet for the last two decades. I've lost a total of 789 pounds." ~ Erma Bombeck
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I've been there before!
Just do it!
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How about a series of ziploc bags? maybe wheat thins (portioned) in a bag. Cherrie tomatoes in another bag. Cuke slices in a double bag (cause they leak). Also, don't sell your favorite cereal short, I can't tell you how many times a single serving of dry cocoa puffs in a ziploc bag kept me from pigging out when I was in a place that had naughty food readily available. Cheese cubes and turkey cubes, anything that can go on a shish kabob can be popped off into a ziploc bag.
I can't see a light at the end of the tunnel....yet.
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Really love all these posts and hearing about everyone's experiences. Last night was my usual experience. I ate before work and brought food for a meal in the night plus fruit as snacks. We were SUPER busy and I didn't even get a chance to think about food until about 3am. At that point I was exhausted and stressed and didn't want to eat the left over chinese food I had brought. I want SWEET at that time of day. NOT savory or veggies. So I had cereal and milk and  a loorna doone. It is what I wanted!!! Then we are provided breakfast at work. Usually it is some kind of starch - coffee cake, pastries, etc and fruit. Occasionally yogurt. This morning it was donut holes and fruit. I had not 1, not 2 but 8 (EIGHT) donut holes! I know that 3 donut holes are about 200 calories - the equivalent of a donut.  On a good note I also had some fruit and I did drink 1.5 bottles of water through the night. I came home and to my credit, did not eat again. I just went to bed. Now I am up again. I have had breakfast (sensible cereal, milk, strawberries, almond slices) and chai tea. My 'dinner' from last night is waiting for me at work. The question is will I eat it? Or continue to survive on carbs and dairy only? Advise and feedback please! 
Goals for 2013
TBD
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I don't work the night shift, but I worked three jobs (one full-time and one part-time, plus freelance work) while going to grad school. So, I know how hard it can be to be healthy when you have a variable schedule. To this day, I'm always prepared with a healthy snack (a granola bar or small bag of trail mix) in my purse and a bottle of water. Sometimes, thirst masquerades as hunger, so make sure you're properly hydrated and try to choose water, unsweetened tea or regular coffee if you can and flavor or sweeten it to your liking. At work, I have my snack drawer that I fill with non-perishable items, like almonds, fruit cups, small bags of Popchips and bags of green tea. For people who don't have time to sit and eat, bring homemade pureed soups (like carrot or tomato), warm it up in the microwave and then pour it into a travel coffee mug -- think of it as a DIY Campbell's Soup at Hand. Along with some fruit and a handful of crackers, it's a quick and easy meal. Smoothies are also good (either bring one with you when you start your shift, or see if you can bring in a Magic Bullet and your smoothie supplies -- I like a frozen banana with fresh fruit, like mango or pineapple, water or juice, and a handful of fresh spinach). Like most have said, all it takes is some planning and ingenuity. Also, don't forget that this is hard -- so don't beat yourself up if you have a slip-up. If you do, just recognize what went wrong and figure out how to prevent it from happening again. Good luck!
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I work night shift at a hospital and it is absolute torture! Not only are there plenty of delicious snacks in the nourishment room, but apparently all night-shift people are junk-food eaters because all the other nurses are always bringing in cakes and cookies and candy. It's ridiculous! I find it very helpful to time when I'm going to eat. For instance, when I eat a snack at 11pm, I swear I will not eat again til about 2am. And then 5am. It's a real battle to make it, but I find sipping on coffee and drinking lots of water helps. I can't even allow myself to have one nibble of the pantry snacks or treats from other staff because one nibble will inspire a binge. So I've been bringing plenty of food for myself- lean cuisines, fruit, etc. It's hard, but the good thing is that if I can stick to this then I do seem to lose more weight on night shift. It's just a nightly battle.
Marie
| current weight: 138.4 |
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This thread has been super helpful! I'm a full time student and I work full time as a night auditor at a hotel. I don't sleep as much as I do take naps throughout the day so eating healthy is a struggle. You guys have helped a lot! I've just come to realize that for me, it's never going to be about three meals a day and not eating after a certain time. Calories are calories and I don't track by daylight, but 24 hour periods.
i am done with my graceless heart
so tonight i'm going to cut it out and then restart
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For many years I worked graveyards. For me the key was deciding on a schedule and keeping it (barring emergencies of course). When I worked from 9pm to 5am it wasn't too bad, I could keep everything on the same schedule while I worked and then when I was off, obviously I didn't eat while I slept. But when I worked a variable schedule it is very hard. Sit down with your list of hours and do a "here's when I will eat" plan. I even had to plan when I would get coffee or soda because depending on what job you're in.......potty stops are on a schedule.
I can't see a light at the end of the tunnel....yet.
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Hi, I am a paramedic. I work 7 pm - 7 am at both a full time and a per-deim job. I sometimes have a station and sometimes I am stuck in my truck for 12 hours + depending on where I am working. I work anything from 3 to 10 nights straight depending on how stupid I was when I set my schedule! I can do anything from 0 to an unlimited number of assignments as the call volume is dependent on the general public and I work in a rather violent inner city so you can imagine that most of the time I am super busy. What I have recently found (after the almost 20 year of EMS!) is that I have to be consistent with my sleep and awake times more than anything else. It totally screws everything up if I have to be awake in the day. It sucks that life is geared to the none vampire sect and that there are times where we have to be up, but by working the way you are right now your body clock has no rhythm. My main suggestion is that you would be way better served doing 3 in a row rather than every other night. If that's impossible, I would re-organize your meal times so that you have a protein heavy 'breakfast' before work (eggs, meat etc not cold cereal), pack a large salad with more protein and snacks of fruit and nuts. The fat in the nuts will keep you satisfied and if you eat them one at a time 1 oz can last a long time! When you get in (if you are like me) you will need a little something before bed. I generally have 4 oz of Greek yogurt or plain yogurt with fruit. If you can stretch the time between home time snack and pre-work breakfast to 12 hours you will be doing yourself a huge favor. It has taken me a long time, years in fact, to make the connection between my lack of sleep and my weight. There is a reason why people who work the graveyard shift are the least healthy and I don't think it's necessarily our weight. I think it's lack of sleep that messes everything up and when you body is out of balance it craves fast energy which translates into over eating carbs. Good luck!
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I have worked overnights for 7 years. Many comments of PRE-PLANNING seem to be a common thread...for me the tracking is key...I have found EXPERIMENTATION in when, what & where you eat your calories is also key...do what works for you...there is no right or wrong time to eat...when you work these hours...getting the nutrient balance & calorie count you need are the most important elements..It has taken me about 6 months to balance my own...I agree that a weekly average is easier than trying to gage a daily balance when checking your calories or nutrients...ACTIVITY is a major component in your calorie calculating...I found as I lost my weight...INCREASING my CALORIES was CRUCIAL because I Love to move!!! Thanks to those of you who mentioned H20 consumption...that is my one challenge that keeps me working to building it & getting my ZZZ's...another hard one...
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You have so many great suggestions here - I offer that I was doing great on my diet and fitness plan until I hit graveyard shifts: fatigue and thirst can masquerade as hunger. I ate, and ended up feeding the wrong need. I've since worked it out, but it was a challenge to keep at it until I found what my body needed (especially when I couldn't give it what it needed, like sleep). It's helpful to rewire your expectations as well, and be patient with yourself when you have days or even weeks where you just maintain.
"A pat on the back, through only a few vertebrae removed from a kick in the pants, is miles ahead in results."
~Bennett Cerf
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When I worked the graveyard shift I ate a light lunch when I got home.....had dinner with my family and ate my breakfast at work. Always had snacks to munch my way through the shift like grapes (one at a time), celery sticks (don't like raw carrots), apple slices and my favorite almonds......Hope this helps a little.
Barb
"Sweat is FAT crying"
"Exercise is not a means to an end. It's a tool for living YOUR best Life"
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Regardless of the schedule anyone works, the key to changing your eating to being healthy and effective for weight loss is to eat every 3 hours while awake, a blend of carbs, fats, and proteins. Trying to split the calories evenly among those snacks/mini meals is best as well. Instead of 3 high-calorie meals and 2-3 low calorie snacks, try taking your daily calorie range and splitting it evenly among 5-6 meals. That was the big "secret" for me to losing the weight, especially the last 20lbs!
Lost 65lbs in 15 months to get healthy and in top shape to try to get pregnant, and succeeded! Had our first baby in February 2013!
I only gained 32lbs in my pregnancy (and immediately lost half within a few weeks of his birth). April 1st is my full restart date.
| current weight: 152.5 |
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I absolutely needed to hear this today. I start nights shifts again this week. 6pm to 8am. Sucks. believe me! I am so grateful to hear that people not only ate well but managed to LOSE weight while working this ghastly hours. If you can do it, I can do it! Right?!?!?? Planning is key I agree. But motivation to actually eat what I brought and NOT the loorna doones and the graham crackers and other goodies to be had (I work in a children's hospital ya know). I am newly motivated to make a success of eating well and controlled on nights. 
Goals for 2013
TBD
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Like many of you, I used to work 10pm-6am. In my first year I (unknowingly) gained weight, but in the last 6 months of working those hours I managed to lose over 20 lbs. First, I think that a regular exercise schedule is absolutely crucial to helping maintain your energy/hunger levels throughout the night. Second, as many others have said, planning is absolutely crucial. While snacks are great (essential, even), having a filling meal before/during your shift is going to be much better than trying to snack your way through the night. I started taking my "dinner" every single night and avoided any take-out or fast-food chains. I would make batches of large meals (lots of pasta casseroles loaded w/veggies, bean soups, etc) to bring, and even more importantly, I tried to plan ahead for the "what if I'm starving when I get home and there's nothing to eat but mozzarella cheese?" (which unfortunately contributed to the weight gain in the first place). Preparation is key, but dedication to the planning process and anticipating that you will be hungry will get you through! (PS - A huge thank you to all of the nurses on here who do amazing things every single day!!)
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I get to work at my hospital about the hour when the night shift is going home, and weight problems are certainly endemic. I see them loading to-go containers of bacon and omelettes and hashbrowns from the cafeteria as they leave. (And it's not like the cafeteria is serving chicken breasts and salads at 7 am.) Consistent sleep and planning ahead seem to be key to weight control for night-shift workers. I feel sorry for the ones who have to go home and take care of small children while they should be sleeping.
"I owe everything you see here to spaghetti."
-Sophia Loren
| current weight: 178.8 |
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I work 10:30 pm- 7am at CVS (staring at all the goodies all night) for 7 days straight and then get 7 days off. On my week off from there I work 4 afternoon/evening shifts at my other job (a gas station...staring at the goodies all day!) I seem to do better on my overnights week, but I track my food a little funny. I usually wake up around 7pm and have breakfast. If I wake up Wed night, I'll track my breakfast as Thursdays first meal. I take snacks and lunch to work with me and try to have my dinner as soon as I can once I get home from work so I can have 3 hours after meal before sleep. Generally I have all my Thursday (or whatever day) meals consumed and tracked by 9am. Then on the day when my overnights week ends I stay up much later to adjust my sleep schedule. I usually have an extra small meal that day, but it balances out for the week.
| current weight: 223.2 |
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I'm guessing they are asleep? Maybe focus on being active too. I worked overnight shift at an answering service once, and when calls were not coming in I exercised. Lost 65 lbs in 3 months! I still have 55 of it off, but as soon as I left that job my weight loss stalled! I think fresh fruits and veggies are a good choice to have sitting around, but my fav lately is watermelon! I have trouble getting in enough fluids and watermelon helps me with that too!
"More people die in the US from overeating than from undereating!"
"When you have a child you give up the right to self destruct"
"Your goals, minus your doubts, equal your reality."
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I think that's the best way. Take your own food and stay away from the vending machines.
Working it Out!!!
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Can you take stuff? I work in a prison 11pm-7am but we can take food in clear containers. I take 4 bottles of water a night, 2 apple sauce cups, and 2 slimfast bars. I sometimes take strawberries too. Total calories is 300-350. I space it. 1 bottle of water, 1 snack, 1 bottle of water, 1 snack, ect. I normally just accept that my days i work i am going to be at the high end for the day. I also find that eating when i get home before i go to bed helps me not over eat when i wake up. I will eat like 2 whole eggs and 2 egg whites before bed.
Starting weight: 185
1st Goal- 170lbs -
DONE! 12/13/10
2nd Goal -160lbs-
DONE- 1/19/11
**Mini Goal**158 (No longer Obese!)
3rd Goal-150lbs -
4th Goal-140lbs -
5th Goal- 130lbs -
6th goal- 120lbs -
| current weight: 156.5 |
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Some wonderful suggestions here. Thanks so much. I also work from 10pm to 6am. I work out after shift at a gym right where our shuttle drops us off every morning. I really enjoy going to the gym. I try to vary my routine from time to time so I don't get bored. Music helps a lot to get me going, even after a shift where I felt rather sleepy. When it comes to meals, I know I need to do better planning (and wake up earlier to do what needs to get done). Sometimes I bring fruit and crackers with me. I don't have a slow cooker but I do have a microwave at home and at work. Any advice on batch cooking? Which recipes work best, i.e. doesn't spoil faster? Please PM me any easy to read articles filled with helpful tips that you know of. We have free drinks at work but I don't get sodas anymore, just the green tea with honey drinks. I'm not sure if they are all their makers claim to be but that's what we have and they're free. I regularly drink 1-2 cups of brewed/instant coffee and a bottle of energy drink to keep me awake. I find myself running to 7-Eleven to buy whatever fruit they have available there. Sometimes they have apples, oranges, bananas and they also have salted almonds on stock. We do have a Subway here. I eat breakfast there sometimes. Come to think of it, there's another sandwich place near my office where I could get healthy sandwiches. I could walk over there and get some exercise done as well. Would appreciate any more suggestions you can give re: meal planning. Thanks. RNBONNIE, GOD BLESS YOU!!!  
Edited by: SPARKANGEL413 at: 7/8/2012 (20:16)
I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18
| current weight: 385.0 |
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I used to work 12 hour shifts 7am-7pm and vice versa. It was really hard on my body. I tried to pack food to take along. The hardest part for me was getting home after a shift and not wanting to eat, but knowing you needed to before you went to sleep.
I think everybody gave GREAT suggestions.
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Instead of looking at what the average person (with an average lifestyle) does to diet and seeing how your lifestyle doesn't fit with that, try focusing on what you can do. I would work on your diet first, and exercise second. Because you are so busy and because your job is pretty active, make a pledge to exercise on any days off or half days that you have. Instead of saying "I will exercise 5 days a week" and then getting stuck working 120 hours over the next two weeks, decide to work out when you can: on days off or days when you only work a half shift. For diet, if you can't eat every two hours, then so be it. Instead focusing on getting two hearty, protein rich meals before and after work. Have an 800 calorie meal before work and an 800 calorie meal after work. Bring a protein bar to eat while at work, if you have time or need a pick me up. If you don't have time to pack food, don't be afraid to go to fast food restaurants. Panera, chipotle, subway, and panda express all have great options. Also, when tracking your food, be sure to look at your weekly average and not your daily average. Working odd hours can cause some days to be high and some days to be low, just depending on the exact time when you ate. If I eat a big meal at 4 am, i am not going to be hungry until 2 pm the next day, and may end up eating less that day. If you're under calories some days, and over calories others, just make sure that it averages out each week to be in your range.
| current weight: 175.0 |
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MADDUXCR
SparkPoints: (15,875)
Fitness Minutes: (21,898)
Posts:
195
7/8/12 9:29 A
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God bless all of you nurses and the hard work that you do. Working night shifts takes special people - your body tells you it's time to sleep but you have to go all out all night long. I am not a nurse nor do I work the night shift. However, I love those big coolers - the kind that are actually on wheels. In the past, I have packed a cooler full of veggies, yogurt, fruit, nuts, drinks, etc. and I would dip into my cooler all day long. People would laugh at me but I always had the healthy food I needed nearby when I wanted it. I used the little ice packs to keep the cooler super cool. I ate the more perishable foods earlier in the day. Psychologically, keeping that food separate in a cooler that was all my own (instead of in a communal fridge) worked for me because I could look in there and know I still had food left to hold me through the day.
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Good morning Everyone! Now, here is my dilemma. I work 12 hour night shifts (7 pm to 730 am) anywhere from 3 to 10 days in a row. Because I'm an emergency room/trauma nurse, my work days are never the same (I can be called in to work when I'm off or switch shifts with other nurses) and once I am at work, it can become so busy that I don't have time to eat the food that I take with me! Yes, I've tried the "eat every two hours, something light like seeds or nuts) but that isn't realistic when you have a critical patient that you are working on non-stop for hours to keep alive. Many a night (day) I end up taking what I brought for dinner, eating for breakfast or not at all once I leave work. Yes, it is so much easier to "order out" not so healthy foods that I can just take a bite, chew three times and swallow. I have no trouble sleeping once I'm home and I even will wake up and stay awake on my nights off (I'm a natural vampire). At home I try to eat "right" and exercise, but I'm finding it difficulty when I'm not really "home" on a "regular" basis. It is not easy to "take a break" at work when you are working in an emergency room. Sometimes I don't realize how much time has passed until someone says something. Good thing I have good bladder control, I've been known to not use the bathroom for a full 12 to 14 hours. The one "good" thing is that I'm so busy moving around that I'm able to drink at least 2 to 4 liters of water while working. Yes, I keep a 1 liter bottle and sip from it from time to time. I have to, all that running around makes you thirsty. I've incorporated ankle weights into my work routine, my calves have never been firmer, now if I can just get the rest of my body to follow!  It would be easier for me to follow a healthier eating program if I work five 8 hour night shifts a week. I don't. I have worked 31 straight days at a time. I'm averaging 5 to 6 now. Once I get home, I'm so exhausted I have no appetite, I just want to shower and hit the bed. The alarm seems to wake me up just as I close my eyes. I do manage to get 6 to 8 hours of sleep in between. I've tried working out once I get home from work, but even a 30 minute walk will have me so energized that I cannot sleep, then once I do, I have been awake for 20 hours and have to go back to work to work another 12. I've tried waking up an hour earlier, but I just cannot get out the bed because I need that extra hour. Okay, I'm finished ranting. HELP! 
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prepare prepare prepare batch cook and make single servings. take all your own food/snacks to work with you to avoid the vending machines and other crap that is sold overnight
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I worked 10-6 for years, and often would stay up after my last shift of the week, so I could enjoy some daylight on the weekends. This often meant that for one day a week, I would stay up for 24 hours, then sleep for 12. This made for some crazy eating! The way I managed the work weeks was to eat breakfast when I got up at about 4 in the afternoon. I would go to workout (karate class) from 6-9, then have a protein shake. I would eat a meal around 12, then at 3, then go to the gym after work, and have an egg when I got home. Basically I would eat about every 3 hours when I wasn't doing something to keep my mind off of being hungry. It worked for me- was one of the times in life when my weight was most under control. What helped for me was to pick a time on the clock- say, midnight, or 4pm, when I woke up most days- and count calories and such from that point, for 24 hours. Counting from the afternoon can be tricky cuz the tracker isn't set up that way, so midnight often worked well for me. Most people don't have to think in terms of a 24 hour day. Most can just think about the time when they are consistently awake every day. I know, when working nights, in order to see the sun sometimes, you just gotta have a crazy schedule. Hang in there. It can be done!
| current weight: 209.0 |
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I work a weird schedule too - on call overnight shifts, so it's all over the place. Along with the other ideas, I find keeping myself really busy helpful. Lots of tea as well!
If anyone tells you you're not good enough, you're not smart enough, to give up your foolish dreams, if anyone ever tells you to quit -- you gotta make 'em wear a diaper on their mouth, 'cause man, they're just talking sh.t -- Shane Koyczan
| current weight: 210.0 |
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There are some excellent suggestions for you to consider here. I would also add that you should change your workout activities so they will be done on the same schedule as your new eating routine. If you continue to get really hungry in the night try exercising to see if this will relieve the hunger.
Those who make the worst use of their time are the first to complain of its shortness. --Jean de la Bruyere
| current weight: 173.0 |
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I would have to make a conscious effort everyday to eat healthier if I worked nights & was tired. Try pre-packing healthy sandwiches & salads & snacks like fruits, veggies, yogurt, etc.
It Is What It Is.... :)
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It's been years, but at one time I worked in an emergency room 11 - 7. But when I got off, I went to college classes until noon most days. I really had to work my schedule. But I remember how hard it was getting my food & eating habits organized. I remember that I usually ate a very light breakfast after getting off work & heading to class. I tried to NOT eat again until after I went to bed & got back up (around 7 or 8pm); then I'd eat a light meal; I took healthy snacks & typically a salad with meat for dinner. What I observed was all around me were nurses, doctors, lab techs, ordering pizza & anything that delivered into the wee hours of the morning. OR they'd take turns & bring in crockpots full of BAD food. I came to my eating plan beause I gained 10 pounds in 2 months eating their way!!! LOL! I do think you have to RE-THINK your situation AND go each night prepared. I'd say the ONLY reason you should open their fridge is to get out what you put in it!!! That way there'll be less temptation! good luck - I know it's not easy!
Have an awesome day!
Sherli
| Pounds lost: 55.0 |
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A friend asked me what my weekly schedule looked like and I told her the following: Saturdays - Get off at 6am and arrive home by 7 am. Go to bed until 10 am when my DH leaves for work. Eat breakfast and return to bed until 4 pm then eat lunch and do shopping/errands/chores/watch TV until my DH get home at 1 am. Usually go to sleep by 3 am. Sundays - Sleep until 10 am then eat breakfast. DH's day off so we usually do our shopping/errands/chores/watch TV until 4 pm. Depending on my hunger I will eat lunch around 4 pm then take a nap until it's time for me to go to work at 9 pm. Mondays - Get off at 6am and arrive home by 7 am. DH's day off so I usually sleep from 7 am to 1 pm (I have breakfast before going to bed) then get up, eat lunch and do shopping/errands/chores/watch TV until 4 pm. Depending on my hunger I will eat dinner around 4 pm then take a nap until it's time for me to go to work at 9 pm. Tuesdays - Almost a repeat of Monday except I usually stay awake from 1 pm until 11 pm then DH and I go to sleep. Wednesdays - Usually wake up around 7 am and stay up the whole day. If my DH is off, we go to bed around 11 pm. If my DH is working and doesn't get home until 1 am, we go to bed around 3 am. Thursdays - I usually sleep until 10 am then have breakfast. DH leaves for work at 11 am and I stay up, have a meal then take a nap around 4 pm until it's time for me to go to work at 9 pm. Fridays - Get off at 6am and arrive home by 7 am. Go to bed until 10 am when my DH leaves for work. Eat breakfast and return to bed until 4 pm then eat lunch and do shopping/errands/chores/watch TV until it's time for me to go to work at 9 pm. As one can see, my eating and sleeping schedule is all over the board. Can anyone gives me advice/suggestions on how to manage my time better? Thanks in advance!!
Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.
Norman Vincent Peale
| Pounds lost: 19.6 |
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Sounds like this make this lifestyle plan work, I will definitely need to my meals and their times more carefully. I love my job and the schedule works well since I am in graduate school to earn my master's degree in social work. However the fact that I work Sunday, Monday, Thursday, and Friday nights only tends to throw my body clock off like crazy. I don't sleep normal hours and eating on a regular basis is a joke. I also make things even more fun because I tend to stay up late on the nights when I am off and my husband works until midnight.
Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.
Norman Vincent Peale
| Pounds lost: 19.6 |
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I work full time 11pm - 7am. I eat breakfast (dinner) when I wake up around 5pm (white meat and veggies), I make a protein smoothie that I drink on my way to work at 10pm. A snack (if I'm hungry - yogurt or fruit) and 0030 an have my lunch at 0300. It's usually a salad, grapefruit, crackers and a yogurt. If I still have the munchies - 2 cups of air popped popcorn works .... Hope this helps - send me a private email if you have any more questions
~Tammy~
Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what your going to get
~ Forrest Gump ~
| Pounds lost: 4.8 |
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I've never worked graveyard, but I have worked funny shifts when I was a bartender. I found the best thing to do was to alter your view of an eating day. Eat a filling 'breakfast' before you go to work, something that will hold you over for a couple of hours. Then mid shift, eat a 'lunch'. Eat 'dinner a few hours after you finish, before you sleep. In between eat healthy snacks, like veggies, almonds, yogurt etc.
~Jess~
There are no shortcuts. No magic bullets. No secret spells. What works is hard work, dedication, and a daily dose of chocolate.
| current weight: 146.0 |
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Hi Everyone! I work the graveyard shift (10 pm to 6 am) at a group home for at risk youths. On the nights when I am working I find that I am hungry/tired at all hours of the night. Trying to limit myself to three meals and two snacks per day seems impossible. By 2 am, I am raiding the refrigerator or pantry looking for something to help me get through the night (I am allowed to eat whatever is on site). Does anyone have experience with working the graveyard shift and trying to lose weight?
Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.
Norman Vincent Peale
| Pounds lost: 19.6 |
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